Defective TRW Crash Sensors May Cause Seat Belt and Airbag Failure
- Electrical overstress is messing with the airbag control units (ACU) in certain Dodge trucks.
- The control units shut down agyer experiencing a surge in voltage, disabling the airbags.
- A class-action lawsuit and upgraded government investigation are offering hope for a solution.
ACUs are designed to sense a vehicle crash. An application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) within the ACU pulls in electrical signals from crash sensors located throughout the vehicle. When a crash is detected, the ACU determines which airbags need to be deployed and when to activate the seat belt pretensioners.
ZF-TRW control units were manufactured without circuit-protecting diodes. When the ASIC is supplied with too much current or voltage, it’ll shut down the ACU and, in turn, disable the airbags and pretensioners.
At this time the problem is believed to be responsible for as many as eight deaths.
One Step Away from a Recall ∞
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been investigating these ACUs since March of 2018. The original investigation opened following claims that airbags hadn’t deployed during frontal crashes with some Hyundai and Kia vehicles.
Both Hyundai and Kia have issued recalls related to the ACUs.
Hyundai told the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) that their research revealed the airbags were failing.
”…post-collision inspections of the air bag control units (ACUs) showing that an electrical overstress condition (EOS) of an ACU electronic component occurred in three of the crashes, and that the fourth ACU is under evaluation for the same concern.”
The investigation has been upgraded ∞
In April 2019, NHTSA upgraded their investigation to an engineering analysis. This came after two major crashes involving Toyota Corollas where the airbags didn’t deploy. There was one fatality.
An "engineering analysis" is the final step before a recall, but does not always mean that will be ordered.
Dodge Vehicles Under Investigation ∞
Make | Model | Years |
---|---|---|
Dodge | Ram 1500 | 2009-2012* |
Ram 2500 | 2010-2012* | |
Ram 3500 | 2010-2012* | |
Ram 4500 | 2011-2012* | |
Ram 5500 | 2011-2012* |
Technically, the Dodge Ram line of trucks was rebranded as just Ram trucks in the 2012 model year.
Class-Action Lawsuit ∞
Attorneys with Gibbs Law Group LLP are investigating a TRW airbag module class action lawsuit after federal investigators expanded their investigation of a potential defect in airbag control units (ACUs) manufactured by TRW.
If you own one of these vehicles, the class action attorneys at Gibbs Law Group would like to speak with you.
Generations Where This Problem Has Been Reported
This problem has popped up in the following Dodge generations.
Most years within a generation share the same parts and manufacturing process. You can also expect them to share the same problems. So while it may not be a problem in every year yet, it's worth looking out for.
4th Generation Ram 1500
- Years
- 2009–2011
- Reliability
- 53rd out of 54
- PainRank™
- 58.97
- Complaints
- 629
4th Generation Ram 2500
- Years
- 2010–2011
- Reliability
- 27th out of 54
- PainRank™
- 9.33
- Complaints
- 69
4th Generation Ram 4500
- Years
- 2008–2011
- Reliability
- 1st out of 54
- PainRank™
- 0.22
- Complaints
- 3
4th Generation Ram 5500
- Years
- 2008–2011
- Reliability
- 10th out of 54
- PainRank™
- 0.6
- Complaints
- 3